Wednesday Evening, June 8, 2011

Rob, Ryan and I swam Wednesday evening. There was a stiff wind out of the WSW that had pushed up a choppy sea that was whitecapping in to the surf line. The windwaves were about 1' and 6' to 8' apart. I measured a water temperature of 55, but it would feel colder. Not knowing just how changeling the water conditions would prove to be we decided to swim straight out to the end of the pier, do an assessment, turn to either the Poly Pier or the creek and then come back parallel to the beach to the pier. Since we were swimming out on the downwind side of the pilings I was surprised at how much I was getting slapped around, so I began expecting 'real' conditions when we came out from behind the pier. We grouped up at the end of the pier, confirmed for a family on the pier that the water was cold, and headed for the creek. This leg was perpendicular to the direction of the chop and was quite bumpy. It took me a while to find a stroke and breathing tempo that let me breath easily so I could get some power into my stroke. The leg back to the pier was downwind and kind'a fun. We covered 1.46K in 24 minutes. I was sore in my shoulders, back and legs the next morning for all of the bending the chop put me through.

Rob is doing an 8.12 mile open water race in the Great Salt Lake tomorrow. Wish him luck!

niel